The Air force base security dog
Born in 1970 I don't have any memory until 3 years of age.
1973 it was a beautiful spring day, the green grass was lush and well-manicured, the sun was warm and I was a blissfully happy child. I was in the care of a man that worked on the base with my dad. We called him Private. Dad left me there just long enough to walk a block or two to the post to check-in with the commander. I remember standing inside the house watching the Private tying his shoelaces. I watched intently aking him to teach me, as he showed me I lost interest and begged to go see the dog in the back yard. I could feel the Private's uneasiness with children and relief for the dog to hold my attention as he was earnestly hoping that my father would return any moment. As the Private carried me outside the sliding glass door on to the deck I heard the whimpering of the dog and immediately got a flood of emotions. In my 3-year-old mind, I couldn't understand why the dog was chained up in the back yard. The Private told me he was a retired military police dog. I felt the urge to run out to the Shepherd, pet him and untie him so he could run and play. So I took off running as fast as my little legs could carry me towards the shepherd. I didn't get very far before the Private picked me up in mid toddler run He swooped me up halfway between the house and the chained up shepherd telling me the dog was not taught to play and cuddle with children. I was flooded with the dog's emotions of pain and mistreatment. I felt a rush of abandonment and feelings of uselessness that must have been due to the dog no longer being taken into work every day as an important team member on the base security detail. I felt a feeling of embarrassment coming from the dog so strong that I felt flushed and hot. It was a human emotion as if being treated like an untrustworthy animal instead of a veteran of the military. As well as feeling confusion, anger, and broken-heartedness from the shepherd. This dog felt betrayed tricked and forgotten by his comrades. The overwhelming feelings from this shepherd were even more human than one could fathom, they were of a hurt soul. As felt these emotions flood my 3-year-old self as my spirit beamed out in comforting love. I just had to set him free. Just as the Private sat me down in the grass out of reach of the shepherd the phone rang inside the house ( in 1973 the old rotary phones had a distinctive loud ring). Oddly the Private left me in the yard as he jogged towards the house he kept his eyes on me. He was on the deck calling back to my stay right there don't move. Of course, any three-year-old child is going to do the opposite. As Private crossed the deck into the house I ran as fast as I could to the shepherd. I wrapped my arms around his neck grabbed for his chain and he lunged for my head. I must have blacked out because I don't remember any pain. I had to be out of body for I seen my daddy running down the street screaming Private... As my daddy approached me I could see my little body dangling out of the shepherd's mouth. With one command from my daddy to the dog "FREISETZUNG" ( means release in German ) the dog let go and everything around me looked bright white. I heard the fluttering of wings as an angel came to me humming beautiful sounds. I came to sitting on the Privates lap in the front seat of daddy's car. , Daddy was yelling in German words I did not know and he was driving very fast. I could feel my daddy heart hurting and anger welling up in him. I felt something warm running down the side of my face near my eyes and the Private hands pressing down on the top of my head. I could feel his fear and he kept saying I'm so sorry Sargent Root. I'm so sorry, God let her live! Please let her be ok God! Then Private said, she just peed on me with that I blacked out again.
The next thing I remember was floating outside my body telling my daddy it was ok the dog was scared and didn't mean to hurt me. My daddy was crying so hard as he looked down at my little lifless body. I kissed daddy on the cheek as my eyes brought into focus my body laying their bloody head, lifeless on the gurney. Suddenly I saw a warm yellow light coming through the ceiling of the hospital. I heard the fluttering of angel wings all around. Slowly an angel took shape within the light, as I was overcome by the feelings of unconditional love and security beyond our human definition. As I felt the warmth and unconditional love from the angel I felt this pull towards the warm glow. I felt the angels telling me ( not verbally ) through emotions and visual images that it was time for me to go with them. I felt a sadness for the little body on the gurney and what her death would mean to everyone in her life. I felt my dad's pain and anger turning his heart to stone. I knew my dad would lose a part of his very soul if I died that day. As well as feeling the consequences if I choose to stay. I was flushed with the beauty of life as well as the hardship of life and everything in between. Somehow I knew how hard this life would be and that I would experience the loss of my family in more ways than one repeatedly throughout this lifetime. I knew my life's lessons we're going to be of trauma pain and loss. Yet I chose to stay for the pain my dad was feeling in his heart at that very moment was too much for him to bear. As I excepted the life span and all that it would encompass the angel put and hand over my heart and over the top of my head. Suddenly I felt as if I were falling, my body laughed my head hurt and I screamed. My dad grabbed ahold of me so tightly as he said, baby don't ever do that again ( to this day I cry every time my dad calls me baby) The nurse said to let her breath, she coming back . I heard the doctor telling my dad there may be brain damage due to three minutes of flat-lining they had to rush me to the ICU. I do not remember leaving the hospital, seeing my mom and sister and returning home. This started a lifetime of blackout spots in my life. Feelings of time periods that I can't recall anything at all as if I didn't exist.
